Coatings & Paints

Coatings & Paints Colour is Key to a Restful Night’s Sleep Through Lockdown

Leading paint brand, Colourtrend, has revealed the importance of colour in the bedroom and how it impacts sleep. It comes as The Sleep Foundation launches Sleep Awareness Week, March 14 – 20, an initiative promoting the benefits of healthy sleep and its importance to overall health and well-being.

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olourtrend research revealed, online search terms such as ‘how to fall asleep easier’ have seen a 2,500 per cent growth over the past year and significantly more people are now searching for tips on how to sleep easier than in anytime over the last five years.

Colour can be one way of combatting the ill effects of nearly 12 months of lockdown where sleepless nights have become commonplace. Exacerbated by financial strains, uncertainty around jobs, a taxing home schooling and work schedule, alongside daily routines simply being knocked out of sync.

Colourtrend has partnered with the Sleep Foundation to provide hints and tips on beneficial changes in our sleep routines to improve our sleep health, including the colours we put on our bedroom walls.

Elise Chahine, editor in chief at Sleep Foundation, said: “Beginning to create an environment which is conducive to sleep is simple with just a few steps. Paying attention to sleep hygiene is a big part of setting yourself up for better sleep, which means having a daytime and night time routine that promote an uninterrupted slumber.

“In the evening, keeping your bedroom at a cooler temperature, avoiding blue-lightemitting devices two-to-three hours before sleep and turning off any lights in the room are the easiest ways to ensure your environment is conducive to dozing off.

“Another important aspect is creating a relaxing space in which to unwind. The way you decorate your bedroom can play a big part in this.”

So while many of us decorate our homes to follow the latest trends or choose colours based on their aesthetic appeal, the various colour palettes we use •12•

may affect us psychologically, including our ability to sleep.

Adele Roche, a Colour & Design Consultant who has worked closely with Colourtrend over the past 16 years and specialises in colour psychology for interiors across both residential and commercial projects, said: “Everyone has a different reaction to colour. It is an individual experience, so it is really important to choose colours that suit you rather than follow the latest trend – especially when it comes to the bedroom.

“Colour travels on varying frequencies and wavelengths, you see it with your eyes but it is processed in the brain which is connected to the nervous system and creates energy. The faster a colour travels the quicker the energy it creates, so when choosing a colour scheme for the bedroom, it needs be travelling on a slower wavelength to evoke feelings of relaxation.

“The colours on your walls don’t directly affect your mood whilst you sleep, but for those who lie in bed and can’t get comfortable, who are thinking about their jobs or the pandemic and their mind is constantly racing – a high energy colour scheme will certainly not help you drift off.

“Using muted and earthy colours that are quieter and less stimulating can give you a sense of comfort. Blues and greens can help to create a personal sanctuary much more conducive for sleep, even during these uncertain times.”

Colourtrend offers a wide selection of colours that are conducive to good sleep such as Dressage, Long Weekend and Recollection.

To see the full Colourtrend range or find your nearest UK Colourtrend stockist, visit: www.colourtrend.co.uk

ISO-CHEMIE is BIM-READY

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is playing an increasingly significant role in the implementation of large and complex planning tasks. The first step was to create a range of BIM data from the “joint sealing tapes”, “multifunctional joint sealing tapes” and “in-front-of-wall installation systems” product families; these are available for downloading as BIM-ready objects. More products are at the planning stage. The BIM data can be used free of charge, either via the in-house ISO-PORTAL at portal.iso-chemie.eu or using an external BIM database. It can also be used in CAD software such as Autodesk Revit. An electronic CAD product catalogue will be available as a supplement to this. The BIM model-based planning method is intended to facilitate planning, execution and management of buildings across all the trades involved using a common data model for all participants. The important factor is that all the relevant building data is digitally recorded, combined and interlinked in a model.

As one of the leading manufacturers in the Andy Swift, ISO Chemie’s sales & operations manager, UK & ROI, field of sealing technology, ISO-Chemie is now said: “Systematically maintained able provide architects and specialist planners building data helps the operator throughout the structure’s life with BIM-ready product data for its sealing cycle with the knowledge of what and in-front-of-wall installation solutions. has been installed and where. If a window has to be replaced in 30 years’ time, it will be clearly identifiable which products were used and which component connections are affected. So renovations can be planned efficiently and carried out under controlled conditions.” With the future-focussed project BAUFUGE 4.0, the building sealing solutions manufacturer is providing important support for architects and specialist planners by digitising processes, thus ensuring a high level of reliability in terms of predictive planning, efficient implementation and a smooth workflow. ISO-Chemie is one of Europe’s main producers of impregnated foam sealants, specialising in the manufacture of foam products from polyethylene (EPE), polypropylene (EPP) and polyurethane (PUR) using the latest production techniques. With hundreds of pallets in UK stock for next day delivery, the company can service the whole industry.

More at https://www.iso-chemie.eu/en-GB/home/

Norcros Adhesives Expands its Successful Rock-Tite Range

Strong sales through distribution of Norcros Rock-Tite Exterior Porcelain & Stone System have led the company to introduce an alternative formulation for the mortar element of this innovative 3-part system.

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orcros Rock-Tite comprises a Primer, a Mortar and a Brush-In Grout and is designed for use by landscapers and garden designers, as well as tile fixers, and capitalises on a key trend in the tiling market currently. This is where internal tiled space is being extended to terrace or patio areas outside a building, which is part of a long-term lifestyle trend to enhance living areas by making better use of external space.

The new Part 2a Rock-Tite Mortar Additive is a fibre-reinforced cement mortar mix, which is designed to mix with sharp sand to provide a high strength mortar for bonding concrete, natural stone and porcelain paving slabs to a hardcore or solid base. It contains Rock-Tite additives to improve performance, workability and freeze/thaw resistance of the finished mortar mix.

The new system allows customers to purchase their sand separately if they wish, and the existing Part 2, which has the sand included, will continue to be offered.

The Norcros Rock-Tite system has been developed to overcome the problem that often porcelain tiles are installed by builders or landscapers, who may lack experience or access to guidance about working with tiles. It is designed to be simple to use by anyone who wants to create a seamless transition from internal to external living space in and around the home.

The full system includes Norcros Rock-Tite Porcelain Primer in three 5kg bags, supplied in a 15kg mixing bucket. The new Part 2a is supplied in a 12.5kg bag, while the original Part 2 comes in a 25kg bag. Finally the system includes a ready-to-use Brush-In Grout, in three 5kg bags supplied in a 15kg bucket. The grout colours available are Blanched Almond, Steel Grey and Tropical Ebony, matching other grouts from Norcros Adhesives.

All elements of the Rock-Tite system are covered by the Norcros Adhesives lifetime guarantee.

All Bets on Neolith

Neolith® Beton specified throughout chic Madrid apartment, creating highly attractive visual contrast N

eolith®, the pioneering brand of sintered stone, is fast becoming a material choice for high-end, high-concept residential renovations. Recently, it played a pivotal role in a penthouse project, for luxury property developer and architect Herrero & Vázquez.

A sparing choice of materials is incredibly important to Herrero & Vázquez’s approach; they usually specify just using three to four patterns across the entire property. their work, in a straightforward and unfussy way, with the over-arching goal of achieving a minimalist, balanced and beautiful interior.

Significantly, their use of Neolith’s surfaces throughout the interior of a sophisticated Central Madrid apartment, in the city’s fashionable Chamberí district, brought the overall design concept together for visually captivating results.

Sculptural Elegance

Entering this marvellously modish apartment, visitors find themselves in a light, airy, open-plan living area with a kitchen to the left, and behind that a corridor leading to a wellappointed master bedroom.

The eye is immediately drawn to the room’s centrepiece, a dual fireplace and shelf unit specified in Neolith Beton. This impressive feature brings the whole living area together in a contemporary and convivial way. It’s something to gather around during the cold winter months and admire all yearround, like a piece of abstract sculpture.

This is further framed by high ceilings, brushed oak floors, crisp white walls and cabinetry, and exposed structural concrete columns, creating a light, airy atmosphere.

Moving to the kitchen, Neolith is a natural choice for applications in this space. Not only does it look attractive, it also possesses performance qualities found in few other materials. Ultra-hygienic, highly resistant and scratch, stain and water proof, it can withstand the daily impact of culinary activity. Further, coming in a range of over 50 colours, patterns and finishes, it can match any design brief.

Continuing with the concrete theme, 6mm and 12mm Neolith Beton has been specified throughout the kitchen space, cladding all cabinetry, applied across all worktops and laid as the area’s flooring. Spotlessly sophisticated, statement walls in honey-coloured timber provide and interesting optical juxtaposition.

Choosing Neolith Beton also met the project’s rigid sustainability brief. Manufactured in a carbon neutral environment from 100% natural raw materials, its production is far less carbon intensive than architectural concrete. Further, Neolith slabs contains substantially less embodied carbon than poured or precast concrete. to create a cool, contemporary and uncomplicated space using the very best materials, fixtures and fittings. Working with only three or four different materials challenges us to be more creative in the design process. We chose Neolith not only because of its versatility, but its incredible range of highlydefined colours and patterns.”

José Ignacio continued, “From a contractor perspective, Neolith also offers the reassurance of longevity and performance. Fundamentally, it’s a material you can trust. As we are also the contractors, we need to be extremely careful in our choice of building products because we’re directly accountable to our customers for the quality of the workmanship. As such, its high durability, ease of fabrication and various guarantees made choosing it unavoidable!”

Boxing Clever

The contrasting theme of concrete and wood is also explored in the master bedroom, emphasising Herrero & Vázquez desire to create a consistent, holistic atmosphere across the property. Importantly, the design needed to deliver a distinct character, without becoming overbearing and intrusive, a home which the owner could stamp with their own tastes and preferences.

Benefitting from plenty of natural light and minimalist detailing, Neolith Beton is used for the cladding of a statement ‘box’ which contains a wet room, equipped with a ‘his and her’ sink vanity, and for the flooring.

Just Wonderful!

Commenting on the use of Neolith in the project, José Ignacio Herrero, from Herrero & Vázquez Housing said, “For the residential project, we wanted To find out more about Neolith’s award-winning range of surfaces, click here. •17•